With Visions of Red (Broken Bonds#2) by Trisha Wolfe Page A

just…chasing a lead.”
    “All right.” She releases my hand and places the sample of rope into an evidence bag. I watch with a heavy pressure bearing down on my chest as she seals it shut.
    Carson was wrong about most of his theory, but unfortunately, he was also utterly right on one aspect: I did make a mistake on the Roanoke profile. There were two killers.
    And the second killer is letting me know just how badly I fucked up.

Without You
    Colton
    “ W e were advised that you had a weapon.” The officer who clubbed me over the back of my head stands before me with his hands anchored on his belt.
    “By who?” My anger ramps as I rub at the rising knot on my head. Not only am I surrounded by four of Arlington’s finest, but their interference prevented me from getting to Sadie.
    I look around the cop¸ trying to see down the dark alleyway. I’m close to throwing a punch if he doesn’t get out of my way.
    “We’re not at liberty to give you that information,” the cop says, eying me suspiciously. I was the one attacked, yet he’s treating me as if I attacked him. I need to get out of this. I need to find Sadie.
    “Fine. You apprehended my cell phone—which is clearly not a weapon. I’d like to leave now. I’m still working.” I nod toward the club.
    He says something into his shoulder mic, holding out a hand to stop me. Pissed, I lean back against the cop car, my gaze trained on the alley. It’s vacant. Like she just vanished.
    I wipe my hand down my face, tension bleeding into every muscle. She could’ve come here for me, but then realized cops were watching the club. She fled before they made her. No. That doesn’t feel right. I’m searching for an excuse—because I can’t consider the other possibilities.
    Still, there’s no reason to explain why she was dancing with that guy—the asshole that led her outside in the first place, to where the cops ambushed me. If I didn’t know better, and if I didn’t trust her…it almost feels like a set-up. That realization sets my skin aflame, blood firing through my heart blistering-hot.
    I knew she would discover the truth. I just thought she’d come to me. Not put a stakeout on the club to apprehend me blindly.
    All that doesn’t matter, though. Because she’s still out there. Somewhere with some guy. Where she’s being stalked. I can’t get that out of my head; I can’t see fucking straight about any of this because she’s out there where a fucking killer is stalking her.
    The cop’s radio discharges an order to get further details and he opens the backdoor of his squad car. “We need you to come into the station and give a statement.”
    This captures my full attention and I drop my hand, the pain forgotten. “I can give you that statement right here,” I say. I know my rights. And I know how this works. Bring me in on some bogus misunderstanding, and get me into an interrogation room where I could be held up to forty-eight hours.
    Julian went through this. I avoided it because I ran. I called him a coward for not dealing, but I was the one who left. He stuck around to take the heat while I tried to forget. It’s possible my anger and fear blinded me to just how much of a coward I really am.
    The cop to his right moves in closer, making my hackles raise. “It really would be best if you come with us to make your statement.”
    A car door slams. Then, “I’ll take it from here, boys.”
    I recognize the gruff voice before I even turn to see the detective. The one who came to my apartment with Sadie a week ago. I feel the impending inevitable slithering up my spine, forewarning me that this is it.
    I wish I could’ve spent one more minute with my goddess. I should’ve worked up the courage to tell her myself, instead of letting it end like this. I have a mountain of regret, so this one, small wish shouldn’t devastate me—but it sits in my stomach like a fucking bolder. Dragging me to the depths.
    “Mr. Reed, how are you doing